Bat with groove

ABSTRACT

A bat extending along an imaginary axis includes a top end, a front segment configured to hit a ball, an intermediate segment, and a rear segment configured to be hold. An annular groove that encircles the axis is disposed between the top end and the front segment or between the front segment and the intermediate segment on a surface of the bat. The groove has an empty space communicating with an exterior.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a sports equipment and more particularly to a bat.

2. Description of Related Art

Some games are played in a way of hitting a ball with a bat. A conventional bat is made of wood with one end being held and another end being configured to hit a ball. Diameter of the bat is gradually increased from the held end toward the hitting end. Surface of the bat is usually flat and smooth so as to avoid bad effect upon hitting.

When the bat hits a ball, impact and vibration caused by collision between bat and ball are transmitted to user along the surface of the bat due to solid structure of the wooden bat. User, at this time, must have a high physical ability to resist impact force and vibration in order to hold the bat stably, otherwise physical stability will be destroyed as a result of a tingle in hand.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a bat with groove that disperses an impact force in order to reduce vibration transmitted to user so that user can hold the bat stably.

To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a bat extending along an imaginary axis. The bat includes a top end, a front segment configured to hit a ball, an intermediate segment and a rear segment configured to be held, integrally connected with each other. The bat has an annular groove, which encircles the axis, disposed between the top end and the front segment or between the front segment and the intermediate segment on a surface. An empty space communicating with an exterior is provided in the groove.

Preferably, an imaginary plane defined to be parallel to the groove is orthogonal to the axis.

Preferably, the groove is provided with two side walls connected with the surface of the bat, at least one side wall being connected with the surface at an angle less than or equal to or greater than 90 degrees.

In addition, a bottom wall formed a concave tapered surface, a concave arc surface or a flat surface is connected with the two side walls.

In one embodiment, the surface of the bat is provided with one said groove between the top end and the front segment, and is provided with another one said groove between the front segment and the intermediate segment.

In one embodiment, the surface of the bat is covered with a protective layer that also enters the space of the groove instead of filling the groove up.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 5A to 5M are sectional views of the present invention showing shapes of the grooves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the bat according to a first embodiment of the present invention extends along an imaginary axis 10. The bat includes a top end 11, a front segment 12 configured to hit a ball, an intermediate segment 13 and a rear segment 14 configured to be held. The top end 11 is integrally connected with the front segment 12 while the front segment 12 is integrally connected with the intermediate segment 13, and further the intermediate segment 13 is integrally connected with the rear segment 14. The front segment 12 occupies a thickest part of the bat, and thus both of the intermediate segment 13 and the rear segment 14 have a less diameter than the front segment 12.

In this embodiment, a surface of the bat is provided with two grooves 2. One of the grooves 2 is located between the top end 11 and the front segment 12 while the other one of the grooves 2 is located between the front segment 12 and the intermediate segment 13.

In a second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, only one groove 2 is disposed between the top end 11 and the front segment 12. Furthermore, in a third embodiment shown in FIG. 4, only one groove 2 is disposed between the front segment 12 and the intermediate segment 13. Each of the grooves 2 in the embodiments abovementioned is 0.2 cm to 1 cm in depth.

Each of the grooves 2 is annular to encircle the axis 10. In addition, an imaginary plane 15 parallel to the groove 2 is defined, and the plane 15 is orthogonal to the axis 10.

Referring to FIG. 5A, an empty space 21 is formed in the groove 2 and is in communication with the exterior. A surface 5 of the bat is covered with a protective layer 3 such as lacquer. The protective layer 3 also enters the empty space 21 to cover the groove 2, but the protective layer 3 does not fill the groove 2 up. The surface 5 is still concave at the groove 2.

The groove 2 is made by cutting on the surface 5 of the bat so as to form a left side wall 41 and a right side wall 42 with a bottom wall 43 connected therebetween. Shapes of the two side walls 41, 42 and the bottom wall 43 are defined by the cutting tools.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5A. The left side wall 41 is inclined and is connected with the surface 5 at an angle greater than 90 degrees. The right side wall 42 is vertical and is connected with the surface 5 at an angle equal to 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 has a concave tapered surface.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5B. The left side wall 41 is vertical and is connected with the surface 5 at an angle equal to 90 degrees. The right side wall 42 is inclined and is connected with the surface 5 at an angle greater than 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 has a concave tapered surface.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5C. Both of the left side wall 41 and the right side wall 42 are inclined and are connected with the surface 5 at an angle greater than 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 has a concave tapered surface.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5D. Both of the left side wall 41 and the right side wall 42 are inclined and are connected with the surface 5 at an angle greater than 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 has a flat surface.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5E. Both of the left side wall 41 and the right side wall 42 are vertical and are connected with the surface 5 at an angle equal to 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 has a flat surface.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5F. Both of the left side wall 41 and the right side wall 42 are vertical and are connected with the surface 5 at an angle equal to 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 has a concave tapered surface.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5G. Both of the left side wall 41 and the right side wall 42 are vertical and are connected with the surface 5 at an angle equal to 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 has a flat surface with two slopes connected to the two side wall 41, 42.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5H. Both of the left side wall 41 and the right side wall 42 are vertical and are connected with the surface 5 at an angle equal to 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 has a concave arc surface.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5I. The left side wall 41, the right side wall 42 and the bottom wall 43 are integrally connected to form a concave arc surface and are connected with the surface 5 at an angle greater than 90 degrees.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5J. Both of the left side wall 41 and the right side wall 42 are inclined and are connected with the surface 5 at an angle less than 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 has a flat surface.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5K. Both of the left side wall 41 and the right side wall 42 are inclined and are connected with the surface 5 at an angle less than 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 has a concave tapered surface.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5L. Both of the left side wall 41 and the right side wall 42 are inclined and are connected with the surface 5 at an angle less than 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 has a concave arc surface.

One of the shapes of the groove is shown in FIG. 5M. Both of the left side wall 41 and the right side wall 42 are inclined and are connected with the surface 5 at an angle less than 90 degrees. The bottom wall 43 is concave tapered with over two surfaces.

Owing to the groove 2, area of the surface 5 is increased so that an impact force caused by collision between bat and ball is dispersed along the groove 2 toward the interior of the bat. In the meanwhile, vibration transmitted to user is reduced as a result of interference made by the groove 2. Therefore, a tingle in hand in course of hitting a ball is relieved so that user can hold the bat stably. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bat extending along an imaginary axis comprising a top end, the top end integrally connected with a front segment configured to hit a ball, the front segment integrally connected with an intermediate segment, the intermediate segment integrally connected with a rear segment configured to be held, wherein an annular groove that encircles the axis is disposed between the top end and the front segment or between the front segment and the intermediate segment on a surface of the bat, and an empty space communicating with an exterior is provided in the groove.
 2. The bat of claim 1, wherein an imaginary plane defined to be parallel to the groove is orthogonal to the axis.
 3. The bat of claim 1, wherein the groove is provided with two side walls connected with the surface of the bat, at least one side wall being connected with the surface at an angle less than 90 degrees.
 4. The bat of claim 3, wherein a bottom wall formed a concave tapered surface, a concave arc surface or a flat surface is connected with the two side walls.
 5. The bat of claim 1, wherein the groove is provided with two side walls connected with the surface of the bat, at least one side wall being connected with the surface at an angle equal to 90 degrees.
 6. The bat of claim 5, wherein a bottom wall formed a concave tapered surface, a concave arc surface or a flat surface is connected with the two side walls.
 7. The bat of claim 1, wherein the groove is provided with two side walls connected with the surface of the bat, at least one side wall being connected with the surface at an angle greater than 90 degrees.
 8. The bat of claim 7, wherein a bottom wall formed a concave tapered surface, a concave arc surface or a flat surface is connected with the two side walls.
 9. The bat of claim 1, wherein the surface of the bat is provided with one said groove between the top end and the front segment, and is provided with another one said groove between the front segment and the intermediate segment.
 10. The bat of claim 1, wherein the surface of the bat is covered with a protective layer that also enters the space of the groove instead of filling the groove up. 